Duffy's Four Wickets Power New Zealand to 87-Run Win

Auckland, October 30: Jacob Duffy's four wickets helped New Zealand secure an 87-run victory over India in the fourth T20 International at Eden Park on Friday, ending a run of three consecutive defeats in the series.

New Zealand posted 259 for 7, their highest T20 total so far. The innings was built around Glenn Phillips, who scored 107 runs from 49 balls, and Michael Bracewell, who made 65 from 25 balls. Their 115-run stand for the fifth wicket came in only 40 deliveries and transformed the innings.

With the bat, the visitors had no answer to the scoreboard pressure. India were restricted to 172 for 9 after 20 overs, and the match was decided by the bowling performance as much as the batting.

Duffy led the attack with four wickets. Captain Mitchell Santner said the bowlers were executing their plans well, especially in the powerplay, where the team picked up early wickets.

Santner said losing the toss again was disappointing, but the lack of heavy dew made the bowling conditions manageable. He described 260 as a good total, but insisted that the bowlers had to be accurate against India's dangerous batters, who had already chased 226 in the first match of the series.

He said the bowlers used a mix of pace and variations and stayed consistent in their lines and lengths. Santner added that the wind also caused the ball to move unpredictably, which worked in New Zealand's favour, even though a few catches went down.

The result gives New Zealand a significant boost as they look to make the series more competitive. Santner was happy with the team's overall effort, particularly the tactical changes made during the match and the way the bowlers used short spells effectively.